A Strange Dream
Damn, even the heavens are fucking with me.
How the hell do I run into this guy here?
Kim Taesung, who had greeted me, walked over with heavy steps and turned on the faucet at the sink next to mine.
"I saw your press conference on TV today. So, Senior, you're the Black Dragon."
Whoosh—
Kim Taesung leisurely washed his hands under the running water.
I quietly turned my head and stared at him as he scrubbed.
"Looks like you've finally made it to my level, Senior. Congratulations."
Click.
He turned off the faucet and pulled out a tissue with water dripping from his hands.
"Senior. How are Foreman and the crew chief doing?"
"......You blocked us for a whole year and told us not to contact you, and now you're asking?"
"Well, that's where it all started for me."
"Then why didn't you swing by even once?"
"I was too busy to go back there."
Kim Taesung smiled with crinkled eyes and reached out toward me.
I didn't react at all, just stared at his extending hand.
Kim Taesung reached out like that and tossed the damp tissue into the trash can right beside me.
"I'd love to chat more, but an important person is waiting. I'll head out now—enjoy your meal. See you later, Senior."
Kim Taesung gave a slight bow toward me.
Only after his presence faded did I raise my hand to toss the tissue I'd been gripping.
"Ah."
The tissue in my hand was stained red.
Since when had I been clenching my fist so hard?
I dropped the blood-soaked tissue into the trash and turned the faucet back on.
Thanks to the Ultra Regeneration Blessing, my bloodstained hand was spotless, without a single scratch.
"Tch."
This guy was nothing like the one I knew.
What the hell is power, anyway? How does it twist a person like this?
I'll never end up like that.
Even if I become a successful hunter buying a Han River-view apartment, I won't turn into a prick like him.
I shook the water off my hands and muttered through gritted teeth.
"See you later? Bullshit."
Why the fuck would I ever want to see him again?
Next time, I might not hold back and just swing first.
Hell, I'd barely restrained myself this time.
Of all the timing, running into him now—and hearing him mention Foreman and the crew like that.
I swept both hands up over my face, let out a long sigh, and walked out of the bathroom.
"......Man, I could really go for some soju."
It was the first time booze I'd never even get drunk on had tempted me like this.
Kim Taesung must have left the restaurant right away, because we didn't cross paths again until the meal ended.
Not that we had any reason to in a private room anyway.
By the time we finished eating, the moon hung high outside.
I stepped out of the restaurant and blankly gazed up at it.
"That was delicious."
Unlike me, who'd barely eaten anything due to lack of appetite, Elpinire smiled with utter satisfaction.
Even if she didn't hate consuming or harming plants, she still felt some aversion to it—so this must have been a real treat for her.
"Come to think of it, we didn't stick to the plan we made on the way out today."
"What plan?"
"The sightseeing. We said we'd just wander around, but we ended up rushing everywhere."
"To me, that was sightseeing. It wasn't even tiring. You, on the other hand, Master, looked exhausted."
"......"
It was hard to even pretend otherwise.
I gave a wry smile and dropped my head.
"After you stepped out to the bathroom and came back, violent mana started leaking from your body again. What happened in there?"
"You're like a ghost. How'd you know?"
"I'm your guardian now. I have to notice that much."
I chuckled and squatted down, shaking out my hair.
"Just... you know. Things got complicated today."
"Mm. I heard the explanation late, but I get it now. The records of that 'Foreman' you mentioned are all wiped clean."
"Yeah. And... all his coworkers are either dead or missing."
No matter how much I tried to act like it didn't faze me, those thoughts kept swirling in my head.
And running into Kim Taesung on top of that? Of course it amplified everything.
"Kim Taesung... Have I heard of him before? Sorry if I have—I don't remember."
"No need to apologize; I never mentioned him. Just a junior with a shitty ending."
"I see."
"I'll tell you later. Some other time."
Right now, I just wanted to breathe in the fresh night air.
I looked up at the sky, exhaled deeply, and spotted a familiar license plate approaching from afar.
Seong Yu-mi, poking her head out the open sunroof, waved with a bright smile.
Is a public servant allowed to do that? Well, she won't die in a car crash anyway.
I straightened my crouched knees and nodded to Elpinire.
"Let's head home for today."
Elpinire nodded.
And so I climbed into Jeong Chan-woo's car.
It headed straight for my long-missed home.
"No traffic—only twenty minutes?"
"It's a main road, so yeah."
"......But why did it always take you three hours to check on the Black Dragon?"
"......"
Jeong Chan-woo quietly averted his gaze from Seong Yu-mi.
Seong Yu-mi chuckled at him and turned away.
"Anyway, good work today, Black Dragon."
"You too, Hunter Seong Yu-mi."
"You're not even on payroll under me, so just come in whenever you feel like it."
"Talk about salaried Lupin."
"Pretty much."
Get paid without doing shit?
Money's too easy these days.
Makes me wonder why I busted my ass on construction sites.
Though I know I'm a special case.
"In return, pick up whenever we call urgently. You know why, right?"
"Of course."
I need heavy media exposure right now.
Seong Yu-mi tossed something at me as I nodded.
"Here. Freshly made ID badge, still warm. As a celebrity like you, Black Dragon, you could probably waltz into A-rank gates too."
A C-rank hunter entering A-rank gates?
That's tempting.
If I'm bored, maybe hit one up and farm magic stones for cash.
I pocketed the badge and gave a small bow to Seong Yu-mi and Jeong Chan-woo.
"Get home safe."
"You too—rest well, Black Dragon."
Seong Yu-mi waved breezily.
Soon, Jeong Chan-woo's car smoothly pulled away from the alley.
Once the license plate vanished from sight, I turned and trudged home.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
I punched in the code, opened the door, kicked off my shoes, and stepped inside.
Elpinire immediately headed to the bathroom and changed into her familiar outfit.
"Wearing these clothes all day made it feel kinda weird."
Now back in her original attire, she fixed her gaze on me.
"I'll head back to the forest now."
"Sure."
"Today was a great experience. No need to call me tomorrow—I've got forest restoration to help with."
"Makes sense. Sorry I couldn't pitch in."
"But call if anything comes up. I'll answer no matter what."
I nodded and canceled the skill.
Elpinire scattered into black mist and vanished.
"......It's so quiet."
Having her around all day made it feel that way.
Just one person gone, and the silence hits hard...
"Kkung kkung!"
"......Right, you've been here."
I rubbed Cheori's cheek with my finger.
The little guy wagged his tail happily and nuzzled my hand.
"Bedtime."
"Kkung!"
Hopefully I won't sleep for three straight days like last time.
I yawned hugely and headed to the bathroom to wash up.
I slowly opened my eyes.
My body was crushed under utter loneliness.
In the crushing boredom, I heavily lifted my eyelids and gazed out of the dark cave.
A place bathed in warm sunlight.
For a fleeting moment, the thought 'If I go out there, will the boredom end?' flashed through my mind—but it vanished just as quickly.
Going out wouldn't change a thing.
I knew that better than anyone.
So today, like always, I closed my eyes in the dark cave.
Today, tomorrow, forever.
I'd sleep here in this cave.
Just as I was drifting off again—
"......"
A presence stirred ahead.
I slightly raised my closed eyelids.
Standing before me was—
"Good morning?"
A woman with disheveled black hair, smiling brightly at me.
"Gasp!"
Hah, hah.
I bolted upright, breathing raggedly.
My body was soaked in cold sweat, sagging like a waterlogged sponge.
My heart pounded like it would burst.
I raised my trembling hand—worse than ever—and wiped my eyes.
"......Tears?"
Tears streamed endlessly from my eyes.
I had no idea why.
They just... kept flowing.
"......Feels like I had some dream."
It was hazy, like veiled in fog—I couldn't remember details.
All that stuck was me in a cave.
And some woman approaching from outside.
Her face.
My state back then.
Even if it was really me.
Nothing came back.
"Hoo......"
I glanced around: my dark semi-basement, not a speck of light.
Yeah, just a weird dream.
I staggered out of bed, dragging my heavy body to the bathroom.
Splashing cold water on my face finally woke me up.
"But why are the tears still coming?"
My mind had cleared, but the tears hadn't stopped.
I swallowed hard and opened the fridge, tears still dripping, chugging ice water.
Finally, they stopped.
Back to normal at last, I shuffled to the small room and grabbed my phone from the bed.
"Not too long this time."
Good—no three-day coma.
Ten hours.
Perfectly normal.
I checked the date and time, turned off the phone, and tossed it back on the bed.
Why the hell did I dream that?
Maybe from cramming too much shit into one day yesterday.
I sighed long and rubbed my puffy, stinging eyes.
No clue when the tears started.
How much did I cry for them to burn like this?
At least after shedding them, the stuffy weight in my chest from yesterday felt punched open.
"......Speaking of, where's Cheori?"
He was by the bed last night.
Better find him before he scarfs down something weird.
I looked around the small room.
No sign anywhere.
"Cheori."
Out in the living room—nope.
Kitchen either.
Only one place left.
I opened the closed door to the big room.
"Kkwoong...?"
Slither.
Cheori uncoiled and rose, basking in the sunlight streaming through the window.
"Snake thing—sunbathing?"
"Kkung."
Cheori yawned hugely in reply.
I chuckled and approached.
"Hungry, huh? Food first?"
"Kkung!"
And so dawned my first day as an official Awakening Association hunter.